Garlic

Garlic is a true "super-food", being famous for its health properties long before "super-foods" became trendy.

Decades ago, I remember seeing the garlic pills you could buy in chemists, promising all manner of health benefits. But the thought of chewing a garlic pastille for breakfast never appealed...

Luckily there are literally thousands of ways of using garlic and benefitting from its properties.

Buy?

Use your garlic while it is still firm and before the tops start sprouting green shoots.

Garlic that is past its best has started to rot and some of the cloves will feel soft or even hollow. Don't use these bits.

A few, very small green shoots are ok, but once they're established, you're better off planting them in a large pot (12 inch) in compost, about 2 inches deep, and seeing if you can grow your own garlic for next season.

Store?

Early season or "fresh" garlic has a purple shading to the outer leaves. This garlic hasn't yet been dried, so doesn't keep for very long.

It's best stored in the fridge and used within a week or so.

Late season garlic has the characteristic white outer leaves and has already been dried. It should keep in a cool, dark place for several months. Apparently a temperature of around 10-15 degrees C is ideal - as this prevents sprouting.

The French have long kept garlic in traditional earthenware pots with holes in the sides, because this allows the garlic to breathe and stops it going mouldy.

Garlic-infused olive oil is another way to store garlic, but it's important to thoroughly clean your storage container first. Storing it at room temperature can pose a risk of botulism (!) so it's best not to keep it for more than 3 weeks...

Cook?

Peel the cloves and crush, chop or slice, depending on the recipe.

Garlic is often added at the beginning of the cooking process, but it loses some of its health properties when cooked, so it can be useful to add a little at the end of cooking.

Cooked garlic is less likely to produce bad breath than raw garlic, though...

If you are using raw garlic, for example in hummus, adding some fresh parsley acts as a breath freshener.

If you just want a subtle flavour of garlic, chop a peeled clove in half and rub it over the pan or dish you're cooking with. This even works well with a salad bowl, if you want just a hint of garlic.

Perhaps one of the most delicious ways of enjoying garlic is roasted garlic.

Remember:

A garlic bulb is the entire plant.

A garlic clove is one segment of the bulb.

Confusing the two can dramatically alter the taste of your meal!

More Garlic Information

Garlic is native to Asia. It is a member of the onion family and comes in 3 varieties: white, pink and red.

It has been used in Europe for centuries and is probably most famously used in French and Italian cooking.

It can either be used to subtly add flavour to meals or it can become the main flavouring.

It is famous for boosting the immune system and (allegedly) keeping colds at bay. It's also an antisceptic and helps to detoxify heavy metals from the body.

Garlic Soup

This is, strictly speaking, a garlic and potato soup, but we call it garlic soup because it has so much garlic in! By roasting the garlic before using, it's much less pungent and has an even more delicious flavour.

This is a warm salad of chunky rounds of leek and pepper, oven roasted with thyme and oregano in a white balsamic vinegar and olive oil dressing and finished off with a liberal sprinkling of pine nuts, leaves of rocket and parmesan shavings.

Serve as a light lunch accompanied by some foccacia bread or as a first course.

Beetroot is one of those vegetables that seems to quickly build into gluts.

There's only so much you can pickle or bake, before you start to get bored.

So here's a quick and nutritious recipe to use up cooked beetroot and add a new twist to a traditional dish.

Hummus is a staple of Middle Eastern cookery. Its blend of chick peas and sesame seeds are a valuable source of calcium, protein, vegetable fats, iron and B vitamins. The addition of beetroot increases the vitamin C content and adds magnesium. All of which combines to make this pretty much a super-food.

The pretty pink colour makes it fun for kids, so you might even be able to persuade little ones to eat this on toast or with fresh veg sticks!

You can either make this from scratch, with dried chick peas and fresh beetroot or you can whiz it up in 5 minutes using pre-cooked beetroot and a can of chick peas / frozen chick peas.

This is a great recipe for a quick lunchtime stir fry. It uses broccoli and kale (or dark-leafed cabbage or spinach) because these are so rich in nutrients. It can easily be adapted to have a Japanese style, if you prefer.

The pumpkin seeds and sunflower oil mean this dip is packed with healthy omega fatty acids, as well as essential vitamins and minerals. The butterbeans give it a protein-packed, creamy texture and the lemon juice gives it a real lift.
And the best bit is it only takes a few minutes to make!

This delicious recipe makes the most of summer's courgettes (zucchini) and cracked bulgar wheat is a delicious, nutty companion to the creamy smoothness of the courgettes. It also works well with couscous or quinoa, if you prefer.

What? Courgette soup? Are you sure? Yes! Sceptical at first, but now converted. Amazingly simple and a great way of using and preserving a glut of courgettes.
So whether you've got courgettes in your veg box for the 5th week in a row, or a glut from your allotment's 15 courgette plants, this soup makes a tasty change.

We've been given permission to share this recipe with you by Waverly Fitzgerald, author of Slow Time: Recovering the Natural Rhythm of Life and creator of the semi-monthly e-newsletter Living in Season, which shows how to bring the beauty of the current season into our lives with ideas for simple actions, seasonal recipes and easy projects, plus recommendations for books and other resources.

We love Waverly's resources and inspirations, and we love this recipe too.

Matt Tebbutt says "either serve immediately or chill and use to make "Savoyarde" potatoes ... a delicious and quite naughty treat. Don't worry about all the cream and butter, and don't try and reduce the quantities - that would spoil it. Just don't eat it every day!"

"After a long walk in the North Downs followed by a cold, wet cycle ride to my sister's I needed something hearty, hot and filling. And an added endorsement for this recipe - once the chopping was done, I actually managed to cook the whole thing with one hand whilst taking part in a conference call : ) Perhaps you can start a new category - one handed recipes!"

I discovered this potato soup recipe whilst on holiday in the Auvergne region of France. Many of the local dishes are based on potatoes, cream and cheese, and this one is no exception. This version has been adapted to make it slightly less artery-clogging.. But it's so delicious and simple to make that you'll want to enjoy it now and then as a treat.

A recent dilemma: 30 minutes before we have to leave the house. We're starving. We've only got odds and ends left in the fridge to use. Cue "Flight of the Bumble-Bee" and chopping for my life - it was stir fry time!

This garlic mushroom recipe is a quick and easy starter, which is delicious served with fresh, home-made bread or bread buns - or even a side salad. The mushrooms are full of vitamins and minerals and the garlic is bursting with detoxifying and immune system boosting properties, so it's pretty good for you, too.

This is a deliciously simple recipe that can add variety to plain, boiled potatoes. If you've cooked too many spuds and kept some in the fridge for a day or two, then this recipe can be knocked up with about 5 minutes' preparation. Easy!

This is, strictly speaking, a garlic and potato soup, but we call it garlic soup because it has so much garlic in! By roasting the garlic before using, it's much less pungent and has an even more delicious flavour.

“Dauphinois” was used to describe this dish designed for the young prince, heir to the throne, in France. It has been cooked for hundreds of years and there are many variations. It is delicious with a green salad for a lighter meal, or a tomato-based dish for a more filling dinner.

This is a deliciously simple recipe for patty pan squashes (also called custard squash or scallop squash).
The secret ingredient turns it into a tasty, hot salsa, with lots of potential variations. Great with rice, quinoa or as a jacket potato filling.

This is a brilliant way of sneaking kale past fussy eaters. The garlic helps reduce the bitterness of the kale and the pine nuts add a sweet, nutty flavour. It also works well with spinach, chard or black nero cabbage.

This recipe has been most generously shared with us by the wonderful folks over at The Nearly Naked Veg Company. We hope you enjoy it, and that you take a minute to check out their website, which is another great source of tasty seasonal recipes and an online veg and fruit box shop to boot.

This is a delicious, filling soup for autumn and winter evenings. It's worth making extra to freeze - or so hungry eaters can come back for more. And there's a secret ingredient, to give it an extra zing!

Fresh lemon rind and juice really lifts this hummus recipe, as well as adding a useful does of vitamin C. The chickpeas and tahini give you a calcium boost and the garlic is great for your immune system. Just as well it tastes delicious, too!

Lentil bake doesn't have to be dull! In fact, if made well, it's absolutely delicious. And it's a great way of using up any spare veg box items - or even some from the fruit bag. See the Variations for using apples, mushrooms, and carrots.

Spaghetti Bolognese doesn't have to be reserved for meat-eaters. If you fancy a change, this veggie option is delicious. And it's a good way of using up spare veg box tomatoes and onions. See the variations for ideas of how to use up spare carrots, mushrooms or even runner beans in this dish.

This mushroom stroganoff recipe is a great vegetarian alternative to the traditional meat dish. I have tried so many variations of mushroom stroganoff recipes over the years, but this one, with all its tweaks, is my favourite.

This recipe was sent in to us by Anita J. We love the title and we can't wait to try it, especially on a cold evening. Anita says:

"We created this recipe to use parsnips of which my partner and I are not big fans. I enjoy the challenge of coming up with ways of using the vegetables I get in the veg box as I feel veg should be used in season and we are a little spoiled these days with all round veg. The main ingredients are parsnip and carrot... hence "Parrot". This recipe has a great "flow" as while you are waiting for one stage to finish you can be preparing the next stage."

Using celeriac with the potatoes makes a nice change from 'just' mashed spud. Celeriac is a useful source of winter vitamins and minerals and the garlic is a known immune system booster. This is a lovely side dish, if you fancy trying something a little different.

This recipe is really easy. Just a little pre-cooking of the potatoes, then bung it all in a dish and in the oven for an hour. You're rewarded with a delicious, bubbling mass of creamy potatoes, which are delicious with fresh vegetables or as an accompaniment to a main dish.

This recipe has been most generously provided for us by the quite wonderful Anna at Wholefood Harmony.

We are particularly passionate about the seasonal wholefood cooking workshops Anna runs. Each session introduces participants to a new exciting and balanced menu for "delighting your appetite and uplifting your energy".

On Anna's workshops, you get to cook and enjoy a delicious, nourishing, three course organic vegan, wholefoods meal comprising ten different dishes.

Can you imagine?!

There are workshops coming up on May 20th, 23rd and 26th. We hope you take a moment to check her out. And if you go along, do let us know.

Slow roasting garlic brings out its delicious flavour and seems to remove the bitterness that can sometimes accompany using lots of garlic in a recipe. The roasted garlic paste can either be used as a base for other dishes or served on its own with toast, as a starter.

"'Salad Soup' might sound silly - but think 'Gazpacho'! I dreamed this up when I was put on a mostly soup diet for a while and really wanted to make the most of salad ingredients as well as mixed veggie soup.

Amounts are not given - that depends on which flavour you want to dominate - or none at all. I use plenty of onion, garlic and coriander; and prefer it quite thick. 2 tins of tomatoes make a good start, with water added to about half the depth of the veggies - they cook down, of course. A big batch freezes well in single serving containers."

This recipe has been shared with us by Mike and Denise Tolson. In their house, their kids call jerusalem artichokes "FARTichokes"! They tell me that "distressing effects do subside if you eat them regularly - honest." Thanks so much for sharing this with us, folks!

Finely sliced runner beans are such a tender and delicious vegetable and these Indian-style spices really bring out the flavour. Quick to make and excellent with rice or to accompany other Indian dishes.

This has turned out to be by far our favourite new recipe of the Summer season. It was so exciting to make our own burgers for the first time, and SO easy. These little fellas could be created with so many different ingredients added into the basic mix, depending on the season, although we’re struggling to think how they could get any tastier than in this version.

Thanks to our friend David_d from the Ooffoo community for suggesting we give them a go.

This has turned out to be by far our favourite new recipe of the Summer season. It was so exciting to make our own burgers for the first time, and SO easy. These little fellas could be created with so many different ingredients added into the basic mix, depending on the season, although we’re struggling to think how they could get any tastier than in this version.

Thanks to our friend David_d from the Ooffoo community for suggesting we give them a go.

Sometimes spring isn’t quite hot enough for salads and you crave something to warm you up. This recipe uses fresh, in-season spinach, lightly cooked with beans of your choice. It works well with butterbeans, cannelloni beans or even black-eyed beans or chick peas.

This salad is easy to make and is great for a sunny spring day.
You can add even more flavour by using the Parmesan shavings. The key is to wash and dry the salad leaves thoroughly, so the dressing clings to them, giving a wonderful flavour.

This dish is easy to make and browning the finished dish under a grill turns it into something special. You can use a variety of seasonal veggies, so try out whatever’s around. The vegetables suggested here are just a starting point!

This is a delicious and simple recipe for Turban Squash (Turk's Squash). It's easy to prepare and does most of the cooking while you get on with something else!
And the fact you're serving dinner in an edible bowl makes an impressive centre piece!

This is a delicious way of enjoying hummus, with the sweetness of the sundried tomatoes and the crunchiness of the sprouted seeds. Chickpeas mean it's packed with vitamins and gives you a great energy boost for hours afterwards - and it only takes 5 minutes to make!

This recipe is a variation on a traditional Egyptian dish.
It includes the addition of toasted pine nuts and parmesan, to give more breadth to the flavour. If you'd rather cook just the traditional dish, see the Variations section.

This is a useful way to sneakily hide chard from a fussy eater!

Note: this recipe can be useful for using up a glut of Swiss Chard. You can keep the pesto in the fridge for up to 3 days - or you can freeze it in small pots.

This recipe has been sent in by Kay. This is what Kay wrote about the recipe.

"I love this way of cooking okra because its quick and easy, and you can experiment with the spices, or use (for example) lime juice to mix the spices instead of water.

The woman who showed me how to do it is called Kirti, and she was teaching me methods rather than recipes. Unfortunately therefore, I can't give you the added delight of the aromas, shelves full of jars, delightful cookware and enchanting atmosphere in her kitchen, or even any exact quantities! But try it anyway - its a great way of mixing spices, and the fact that they start off so dry is what prevents the okra going gluey."

This is a delicious summer soup. Lighter than those of winter, it makes the most of the new season’s vegetables, whilst still filling you up and being wonderfully warming. You can use haricot beans or butter beans for this recipe, depending which you prefer.
The main thing is to stick to what’s in season with the vegetables. That way they’ll be packed with flavour – and good for you too!

These mushroom tarts are packed with flavour. Ideal with a mixture of fresh and dried mushrooms, the key is to use whatever you’ve got available and to serve with lightly steamed, fresh seasonal veggies.

This recipe for Mexican green tomatillo salsa is delicious, either as a relish or as a sauce with potatoes or pasta. It's made using green tomatillo, which is immature and unripe, rather than the yellow, ripe tomatillo.

This soup is absolutely delicious with full-flavoured, ripe, in-season tomatoes. Bear in mind it’s not supposed to taste like tinned tomato soup – this is the real thing – home made tomato soup, with roasted garlic & onions and fresh herbs. It’s got plenty of garlic in, but roasting it mellows the flavour.

Our thanks go to the small growers' co-operative, "Vista Veg", for sharing this toasty tomato recipe with us to use before the tomatoes are all finished for the year. Try serving them piping hot, perhaps nestled into a basic risotto or on fresh, warm buttered bread, or with some Winter salad leaves...

Tsatsiki is delicious when prepared with fresh ingredients - and it's an easy organic recipe. Once you've experienced the flavours of home-made tsatsiki, we suspect you'll never want to go back to the supermarket version.

Although thought of as a summer leaf, farmed watercress is often available from UK growers in winter, too. It's packed with vitamins and its bright green colour can brighten up a cloudy winter's day. Or enjoy for a springtime lunch.

I invented this recipe one lunchtime when we were all craving salad - in the depths of winter. Our local farm shop had some fresh watercress and mixed winter leaves and the rest is, as they say, history.

The warm goats' cheese makes this salad a filling winter or springtime treat.

This is a great way to use up spare pancakes – or it’s easy to make them fresh. By rolling them into cannelloni shapes, filled with the vegetables, you can bake them and turn this into a treat of a dinner.